The story of Creation starts right at the beginning of the Bible. The stage is set, the main characters introduced and we begin to read about who God is and what he is doing in time and space. In Genesis 1, we are told that God creates the world over a 7 day time frame. Continue reading →

So here we are facing a snap General Election just two years after the last General Election and one year after Brexit. How should a local church respond to an election? Here are some thoughts Continue reading →

Predestination is often (almost always) seen as one of those tricky doctrines to be explained and defended (a bit like the Trinity). It’s something controversial and complicated. However, just like with The Doctrine of the Trinity, if we treat Predestination as one of those embarrassing relatives to be hidden away and whose behaviour we will probably have to make excuses for, then I think we lose something wonderful. Continue reading →

So, this is the big question that has stumped theologians and divided Christians. If God is sovereign and predestines, then what freedom do we have to make choices and thus what responsibility do we have for our actions.

This is a question we will come back to in more detail when we look at the Doctrine of Humanity and so at sin and redemption. However, it is important that we start looking at it now as we consider God’s character and nature. Continue reading →

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We follow on from saying that God wills and decrees to look at some of the specific things he wills and decrees. We are going to look at these in far more detail later on when we come to look at Creation, Humanity and New Creation.

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So, if God is sovereign and eternal and if God’s will always comes to pass, then doesn’t that lead us to a particularly thorny question? The topic of Predestination has been one of the most explosive and divisive issues in church life. It famously led to quarrels between John Wesley’s Methodists and other leading Evangelicals, causing serious damage to the work of evangelism during the 18th Century Revival.[1] Continue reading →